Increasingly, a focus of modern preventive medicine is weight reduction. Excessive weight is frequently cited in reports concerning the surge in cases of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, obesity is often mentioned in discussions of other modern diseases, such as heart disease.
For years a debate has raged as to which class of nutrients, fats or carbohydrates, are preferentially minimized to promote weight loss. Recently, much consumer attention has focussed on those who advocate reduction of carbohydrates and higher intakes of unsaturated fat and/or protein.
An increasingly popular form for ingestion of nutrients for those seeking to lose weight is the nutrition bar. The nutrition bar provides a convenient vehicle for replacing a meal or for supplementing meals as a snack. While consumers express a preference for snacks and other foods which are more healthful and which can assist them to achieve their weight loss goals, they show little inclination to sacrifice the organoleptic properties of their favorite foods. Therefore, the successful food formulator must improve the nutrient value of the food while maintaining desirable organoleptic properties. High protein levels are particularly difficult to incorporate into good tasting foods since popular proteins, such as soy, often have undesirable aftertastes.
Lanter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,739 is directed to extruded animal feed nuggets comprising between about 90 and 99 wt % of at least one protein containing ingredient and between 1 and 6 wt % added fat. The nugget is prepared by plasticizing a blend of at least one protein-containing ingredient, added fat, sulfur (if present), and water, extruding the plasticized blend to form an animal feed nugget, and drying the extruded nugget to a water content of less than about 12 wt %. Protein sources mentioned include oil seed meals such as soybean meal and cottonseed meal, and animal byproduct meals such as meat meal, poultry meal, blood meal, feather meal, and fish meal, plant byproduct meal such as wheat middlings, soybean hulls, and corn byproducts and microbial protein such as torula yeast and brewer's yeast. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,540,932 and 5,120,565 also are directed to animal feed nuggets which contain, or may contain, protein.
Carr WO 02/096208 (New Zealand Dairy Board) is directed to a dried, enhanced solubility milk protein concentrate (MPC) containing at least one monovalent salt added prior to drying. Preferred salts are sodium and potassium salts. A method for preparing the MPC includes providing an MPC having at least 70% milk protein as dry matter in aqueous solution or suspension, adding at least one monovalent salt in an amount that confers enhanced solubility when dried, and drying the product. Preferably between the salt addition step and the drying step, a dewatering step, preferably by evaporation, or a concentration step by ultrafiltration and/or diafiltration, is undertaken. The MPC of the invention can be used in cheese manufacture. The ratio of casein to whey protein is essentially that of milk.
According to Carr, a problem with MPCs and MPI (milk protein isolates: >85% milk protein as dry matter) is that such products are generally very insoluble at cold temperatures. A problem is said to be that they are associated with the formation of nuggets in the cheese. The solubility properties of the products are said to make the dried MPCs and MPIs advantageous in the preparation of a variety of products, for example, beverages. Also the dried MCPs and MPIs can be used in cheese preparation to avoid nugget formation.
Bhaskar et al. WO 01/41578 is directed to dried milk protein concentrates and their use. The invention includes a process of cheese manufacture using dried MPC or MPI having at least 70% dry matter as milk protein.
Rizvi et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,120,559 and/or 5,417,992 disclose use of supercritical fluids, such as CO2 to extrude a food product.
WO 01/56402 discloses an alpha lipoic acid food supplement for increasing lean muscle mass and strength. A source of amino acids may be included. Whey protein is said to be a preferred source of amino acids. Whey protein isolates, whey peptides, whey protein concentrate or hydrolyzed whey protein may be used. Other proteins which may be used include casein, other milk proteins, and albumins. The food supplements can be in a variety of forms such as protein bars.
Portman U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,236 is directed to a nutritional composition in dry powder form for optimizing muscle performance during exercise. The compositions may be in the form of an energy bar. Proteins such as calcium caseinate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, soy protein, casein hydrolysate, meat protein concentrate and yeast concentrate are mentioned.
Gilles et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,375 (Abbott Labs) discloses solid matrix materials designed for the person with diabetes. It includes a source of fructose in combination with at least one nonabsorbent carbohydrate. The two component carbohydrate system is said to blunt the postprandial carbohydrate response. One of the forms for administration mentioned is nutritional bars. Gilles et al. mention Ensure® Glucerna® Nutritional Bars as having 14% of total calories as protein in the form of soy protein, calcium caseinate, and corn protein. Choice dm® Bar is cited as a nutritional bar for people with diabetes and including 17.1% total calories as protein in the form of calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, toasted soybeans, soy nuggets (soy protein isolate, rice flour, malt, salt) and peanut butter. Gluc-O-Bar® is said to be a medical food designed for use in management of diabetes which includes up to 23% of total calories as protein in the form of soy protein isolate, non fat dry milk, and peanut flour.
Gilles et al. use protein which it is said can include any proteins suitable for human consumption, including casein, whey, milk protein, soy, pea, rice, corn, hydrolyzed protein and mixtures thereof. The typical amount of protein will be about 10% to about 25% of total calories, most preferably about 15 to about 20% of total calories. It is said that the solid matrix nutritional compositions may be made by cold extrusion techniques.
Proteint of St. Paul, Minn. makes a nugget having a whey protein level of 50%.
Nuvex of Blue Earth, Minn. makes a nugget having a whey protein level of 50%.
Various other foods have been described which mention nuggets which may include proteins. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,086,941, 6,010,738.
Anon, “Nutraceuticals-International,” 2000, Vol 5, p25 (from abstract number 548502) reports that a new milk-protein hydrolysate, Prodiet F200, which is claimed to help people cope with stress, has been marketed by a French company, Ingredia. It is said to be suitable for functional foods such as chocolate bars. Also, a product based on hydrolysed why protein, Proxime Alpha sold by Borculo Domo Ingredients, is said to have beneficial effects on stress.
Swartz, M L, “Milk proteins and hydrolysates in nutritional foods,” “Food Ingredients Europe: Conference Proceedings, London, October 1994, published in “Maarssen: Processs Press Europe,” 1994, 73–81 (from Abstract number 373368) is a review of recent developments in production of milk proteins and hydrolysates for nutritional products. Application of milk proteins in 3 specific types of nutritional products, including sports bars, are said to be discussed in detail.
Swartz, M L, “Food-Marketing-&-Technology”, vol 9, 4, 6, 9–10, 12, 20 (from abstract number 1995-08-P0036) is a review of the nutritional value, functional properties and applications of milk proteins and milk protein hydrolysates. Applications in functional foods such as food bars for athletes are considered.
Kaufman WO 01/33976 (Children's Research Hospital) is directed to a method for treating a type 2 diabetic to decrease hypoglycemic episodes and/or diminish fluctuations in blood glucose outside of the normal range, which comprises administering to the subject in an effective appetite suppressing amount a food composition, which can be a bar, which includes a slowly absorbed complex carbohydrate such as uncooked cornstarch. Soy protein, whey protein and casein hydrolysate are mentioned as possible protein sources.
Keating et al. EP 768 043 (Bristol Meyers-Squibb) is directed to a nutritional composition for use by diabetics containing a controlled absorbed carbohydrate component. The carbohydrate component contains a rapidly absorbed fraction such as glucose or sucrose, a moderately absorbed fraction such as certain cooked starches or fructose and a slowly absorbed fraction such as raw corn starch. Preferred protein sources are said to include whey protein, sodium caseinate, or calcium caseinate, optionally supplemented with amino acids. Other preferred protein sources include protein hydrolysates such as soy protein hydrolysate, casein hydrolysate, whey protein hydrolysate, other animal and vegetable protein hydrolysates and mixtures thereof. Among the forms mentioned which the invention can take are a nutritional bar or cookie. The nutritional bars and cookies are preferably baked. The bar is made by cold forming or extrusion. The granola bar of example 1 includes skim milk powder and peanuts.
EP 306 733 is directed to a sugar free binder for foods which contains sugar substitute and protein hydrolysate in a weight ratio of 3:1 to 1:3 in agglomerated form (as granules).
DeMichele et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,700 (Abbott Labs) is directed to immunonutritional products said to be useful in reducing the immunological suppression said to result from stress. Solid nutritional compositions such as bars are mentioned. Soy proteins are mentioned as possible ingredients for the solid compositions.
Despite the many previous efforts to formulate bars with proteins, there is still a need for a good tasting nutrition bar having elevated levels of protein.